Arm rest for crutches



April 21, 1925. 1,534,209

' J. B. GLOWACKI ARM REST FOR CRUICHES Filed Jan. 5, 1922 A/ilfitassa'sM 1E3 M W b QAITV.

Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN B. GLOWACKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ARM BEST FOR CRUTCHES.

Application filed January 3, 1922. Serial No. 526,616.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. GLowAoKI, acitizen of the Republic ofPoland, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inArm Rests for Crutches; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference markedthereon which fo-rm'a part of this specification.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arm rest for use withthe top of a crutch which shall be light and yet shall afford amplesupport.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide such an arm restwhich shall yield readily to all motions of .the user of the crutch andbe comfortable in all positions.

I It is a further object of this invention to provide a cushion whichshall be secured at the top of the crutch by a suspension means.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a metal fixture forsecuring the arm rest to the crutch. I

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cushion at the topof the crutch which shall be readily detachable for cleaning or renewingand shall be securely and safely held in place when attached.

It is a further. object of this invention to so form the fixture andcushion at the top of the crutch that only the cushion shall come incontact with the users person or clothing.

It is a further object of this invention to secure the arm rest to thelongitudinal supporting members of the crutch by a means which will notrequire the'ends of the supporting members tobe especially shaped.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the drawings and the specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view'of the top of the crutch. I v

Figure 2 is an edge view .of the same.

Figure 3 is a section upon theline 33 of Figure 2.

Figure. 4 is a section upon the line 44: of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section upon the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a top plan View.

Figure 7 is an enlarged View showing in section one of the fasteningmeans for the cushion support.

Figure 8 is a section upon the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

As shown on the drawings:

The crutch has the usual upright supporting members 1 which areconnected at the top by a casting 2, preferably of aluminum. For thispurpose the casting is supplied with sockets 3. The cross-section ofthese sockets is like that of the members 1 in their finishedcondition,so that the members do not need to be shaped in order to fitthe sockets, but the members 1 may be out off at whatever length isdesired and are at once ready to be inserted into the socket. Wheninserted they are secured therein by screws 4 which go through the outerwalls of the socket. Between the portions of the casting 2 which containthese sockets there is a web 5 preferably of narrow cross-section, sothatthe edges of the members 1 extend beyond the web 5 and of course theedges of the casting extend still further beyond it.

The casting 2 also has two uprights or horns 6 rising from the portioncontaining the socket 3. These horns curve outward as they extend upwardas best shown in Figures 1 and 3. The upper portions 7 of these hornsare reduced in cross-section to provide a pair of flanges 8 on eachhorn. Upon the outer face of the horns 6 the flanges 8 extend downward aconsiderable distance but they are continued around the top of the hornsand come down upon the inner side thereof a little way as shown at 9.

7 Through the diminished portion 7 of each horn goes a hole 10. A partof this hole is round but upon the inner face of the horn it is enlargedto a hexagonal shape as shown at 11. In each hole is inserted a sleeve12 having an enlargement forming a hexagonal head 13 which fits in theenlargement 11 of the hole. The sleeve 12 is threaded and is tocooperate with a screw 14. The head of the screw coacts with a washer 15and the lower end of the recess formed where the cross-section of thehorn 6 is reduced, is rounded to fit the edge of this washer, the

rounded Wall of the recess being continuous with the inner surface oftheflanges 8;

Between the 'washer 'and the portion? is clamped one end of a strip 16of belting or other flexible materialwhich'continues in a curve over theend of the horn and in a loo-p across to the other horn over its end,and is finally fastened by the washer 15 and screw 11 at the top of theother horn. The" strip of belting thus forms a sling or suspension forsupporting the cushioning deviceilT The body .of this cushioning deviceis preferably of porous rubber or other elastic material and I forms. acrescent shaped ,cushionas shown in Figures 1 and 3 whose crcsss ection,asshown in Figure 1, is approziimately square. In order to secure thiscushioning material in placeupon the sling 16, the cushion and the slingare surrounded by a cover 18 The cover may be of any suitable materialbut preferably it is made of leather. It is secured in place by beingoive r th e cushion and the seam is then .15. Thus sharp corners orprojecting parts that may cause discomfort to the user or unnecessarywear to his clothing are avoided. V

In the operation ofthe device:

,ll hen it is desired to assemble a crutch,

the longitudinal ,members 1 are cut oif at the desired length andwithout any further fittingare inserted into the sockets 3 and fastenedtherein by the screws 4. The cushioning device is previously assembledby sewing the cover 18 over the block of rubber 17 and .the sling or thecover may be made round the block 17, leaving sufficient space which isafforded by a groove in the bottom of the block 17, and the belting 16may be threaded into that space between the cover and the rubber.The'ends of the sling,

16 have been previously perforated to receive the screws 14. Theassembled cushioning device is then secured to the casting "2 bypositioning the ends of the sling 16 be tween the flanges 8, placing thewashers 15 over them and inserting the screw 14 into the sleeve 12through the washers and the strip of belting. hen the cover 18 hasbecome. soiled or worn the screws 14: are removed and the cushioningdevice taken off i the crutch, By ripping the seam, 19 the cover maythen be readily removed from the block of rubber 17 and a new cover puton in itsplace, or the cover which has been removed may "becleaned andreplaced. If desired, the cover may be pulled off the block of rubberwithout ripping the entire seam. In replacing the cover it is necessaryto again" sew the seam 19.

lVorn out slings, straps or belts 16 may be removed from the cover andreplaced by new ones when desired, without ripping otf the cover, bysimply drawing the straps" 16 out of thespace between the cushionjandthe cover 18. g y

I am aware that many changes may be made and that numerous details ofconstruction may be varied througha wide range without departing fromthe" principles I of this invention, and therefore do not purposelimiting the patent granted otherwise than necessiated by the prior art.

Iclaim as my invention: r

1. A crutch comprising two upright longitudinal members, a castingconnecting said members at their upper ends, a cushioning device, and aflexible non-stretching suspension device slidable through saidcushioning device with the ends of said suspensidn device removablysecured to said castin to hold the cushioning device suspende inposition. y y

2. In a device of the class described, a loop suspended by, itsends,;and a cushioning device slidably carried by said loop.

3. A loop suspended .byit's ends and a crescent-shaped cushioning deviceremov ably engaged around said loop.

4. The combination Wlth. a loop-shaped suspending device, of a crescentshaped cushioning device seated therein, and a cover surrounding saidcushioning device and said suspending device and permitting removal ofthe suspending device from the cushion ing device, and from said cover.

5. The combination with a crutch,o f a fixture for the upper. endthereof including a cross piece, a cushion, and a stra'pre movablyengaged through said cushion and secured to the fixture, the thickness01': said cushion at right angles to the plane of the crutch beinggreater than the thicknessof said cross piece.

6. In a crutch, a fixture for the upper end including a cross piece, acushion, a suspension device reinovably projecting through the cushionfor supporting said ciisliion above said cross-piece whereby the cushionis free to move at right angles to the plane of the crutch, thethicknessof said cilshibn at right angles to the plane of the crutchbeing greater than the thickness of said cross-piece.

7. In a crutch, a fixture for the upper end, incliiding two recessedhornsya suspension device including a strap assing over the top of eachof said horns an seated in the recesses thereof to be flush with saidhorns, fastenings securing said strap to the outer side of each horn,said strap forming a loop between the horns, and a crescent shapedcushion supported in said loop, said fastenings each being above thecenter of the top of said cushion.

8. A crutch comprising supporting members, a one piece metal castingconnecting the same and having arms, the ends of Which are provided withrecesses, a cushion having a groove therein, a cover enclosing thecushion, a strap projecting through the cover and seated in the cushiongroove with the ends of said strap seated in the arm recesses, Washersseated in said arm recesses over the ends of said strap, and removablemeans for securing the ends of said strap and said Washers to saidrecessed arms with the Washers flush With the outer surface of saidarms.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN B. GLOWAOKI.

Witnesses:

CARLTON HILL, JAMES M. OBRJLEN.-

